Shoe testing devices



y 3, 1958 c. K. WOODMAN 2,841,878

SHOE TESTING DEVICES Filed Dec. 16, 1955 gleam L ,1 In pen for Char/e5 K lXf United States Patent SHOE TESTING DEVICES Charles K. Woodman, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 16, 1955, Serial No. 553,505

8 Claims. (Cl. 33-480) This invention relates to testing devices, and is illustrated herein as embodied in a device for testing the relation between parts of a shoe or that between a part of a shoe and the corresponding part of a last upon which the shoe is mounted.

In connection with the development of automatic shoemaking machinery, the use of geometrically graded lasts is favored partly because this method of grading is conducive to more accurate lasts and provides a basis for a more definite and simple differentiation between the various lasts in the series, from the standpoints of both their size and the identification of their size. One important characteristic of a series of these lasts is that they vary, from one to the next, in all dimensions by a fixed percentage and, in general, are proportional to one another. In additween the center line of the last and the center line of its heal part is a predetermined constant, a condition which,

although it is sought in the manufacture of arithmetically graded lasts, is not consistently obtained.

The above-mentioned properties of the geometric last have promoted the design of automatic shoe machinery and, in this connection, have led to a further development of a last of this type, as disclosed in copending United States application of A. R. Hubbard et 211., Serial No. 536,444, filed on September 26, 1955, now Patent No. 2,806,233, issued September 17, 1957, embodying positioning indicia upon its heel part in a predetermined relation to certain parts of the last.

If, as is now proposed, such lasts carrying shoe parts to be operated upon are presented to a machine havingpositioning means cooperating with the positioning indicia on the last, it is evident that the last may readily be positioned with respect to the operating tools of the machine most accurately without involving an operator's judgment. It, therefore, becomes more important than heretofore to be able to verify the placement on the last of the shoe or shoe part to be operated upon, since the machine will neither detect nor compensate for a misplacement of the shoe on the last. Moreover, with the lowering of the skill requirements of an attendant for an automatic machine, it also becomes more important that the testing of a shoe for a given operation or for the result of the operation be carried out with a minimum of skill and judgment on the part of the attendant.

With the foregoing in view, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved device for testing a part of a shoe on a last of the type referred to above and characterized by the provision, upon its heel part, of positioning indicia which are disposed in a common relation to certain characteristics, such as the center lines of the heel, part or of the last as a whole for example, of all the lasts of an entire series.

To this end, and in accordance with one feature of the present invention, there is provided a testing device on which a last is fixedly positioned by means cooperating with positioning indicia on the last, the device being further provided with a gaging member mounted in the same relation to the means for positioning the last on the device as that between the portion of the last corresponding to the selected portion of the shoe to be tested and the positioning indicia with which the positioning means cooperates.

While the invention may have application to the testing of any part of a shoe, in its embodiment illustrated herein there is provided a gaging member suitable for testing a portion of a shoe associated with or related to the center line of the heel part, such as a heel seat or heel. This member, in accordance with a further feature of the invention is shaped like the portion of the bottom of the last corresponding to the portion of the shoe to be tested, the member also being mounted for movement into engagement with the shoe in a constant orientation with respect to the last positioning elements on the frame and in parallelism with the last bottom, whereby the contour and level of the tested part of the shoe are indicated by a visual comparison of the gaging member and shoe.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative testing device embodying the invention and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view, in perspective, of an illustrative testing device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation illustrating the mounting of the gaging member and a shoe to be tested upon the device; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical plan view illustrating the positioning of lasts upon the device.

The illustrative device comprises a frame 10 upon the base of which is fixed a plate 12 which provides a seat for the top of the heel part of a last L, the last shown herein being of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Hubbard et al. patent. The last has a positioning plate 16, having uniform thickness and a peripheral contour as illustrated in Fig. 3, located and secured upon the top of its heel part by the usual means comprising a thimble 18 and a pin 20. The plate 16 is provided with two sets of positioning indicia or surfaces, one set comprising a pair of positioning shoulders 22, 22 which are equally spaced from the center line HCL of the heel part of the last at each side thereof and forwardly of the positioning shoulders 22, the plate has another set of positioning shoulders 24, 24 which are olfset laterally of the last from the shoulders 22, but are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line LCL of the last. Connecting the positioning shoulders 22, 24 at each side of the plate there is a sloping shoulder 26, the purposes of which, as well as those of the positioning shoulders 24 need not be explained herein since the shoulders 24, 26 are not pertinent to the present invention and are fully disclosed in the above-mentioned Hubbard et al. patent and another United States Letters Patent No. 2,835,043, granted on May 20, 1958, upon an application of Charles K. Woodman et al.

The same design of positioning plate i used for both right and left lasts, the plates being applied to the lasts, either one side or the other up, as appropriate, to bring the sets of positioning shoulders 22, 24 into the desired relation with respect to the center lines HCL and LCL, respectively, of the last as described above. The top of the heel part of these lasts, that is, the upper surface of the positioning plate 16, is always parallel to the plane of the periphery of the bottom of the heel part. i

In the illustrated device there is provided means for positioning the last and shoe with respect to the frame comprising, with the usual pin 27 which extends upwardly from the plate 12 and is received in the thimble 18, a pair of positioning elements, herein shown as lugs 28, which project upwardly from the plate 12 and are spaced so as V 3 to receive "between them the portion of the positioning plate 16 between the shoulders 22, 22 when the positioning plate is seated flatly upon the plate 12. The last is thus located, both as toitsorientation and' thelevel of its bottom, in a predetermined position on the frarne-;: andit is evide'nt that the heel parts of right-and left lasts mounted upon the device will bepositioned in the same relation to the device with their center lines HCL in coincidence, as illustrated in Fig. 3. I

A shoe on a last mounted upon theillustrated device is tested by. bringing into engagement with the shoe a gaging member 29-which, in the form disclosed herein, is suitable for testingthe heel seat portion of the shoe or the position of a heel or heel section which has been attached to the shoe. gaging edge 30contoured like the periphery of the bottom of the heel 'part of the last, a heel or heel section to be tested and is removably mounted upon a holder -31"with theplaneof the gaging edge 30'parallel to the plate 12.

The holder is fixed upon the lower end of a plunger 32' which is'mounted to slide vertically with respect to the frame'ltl and is biased upwardly by a spring 34'which is compressed between" the top of the framelt) and 'a knob 36*fixed upon the upper end of the plunger. Rotation of the holder 31 is prevented by a tongue 38 which is fixedto'th'e holder and is freely received in a slot between a pair of guides 40 which are fixed to the frame 10.

There is formed in each side of the gaging member 29 a channel 42'having opposed sides between which are closely received the sides of'the lowermost portion of the holder 31 whereby the gaging member is alined with the holder. A dowel 44 projecting downwardly from the holder is received in a 'hole 46 in the gaging member-to locate thelatter upon theholder forwardly and rear- Wardly thereof. The gaging member is heldin assembled relation to the holder by a latch '48which extends through another hole 56 in the gaging member and ishooked underthe lower side of the gaging member. The latch is biased downwardly within a bore 52 in the plunger 32 by a spring 54 so as to hold a cross pin 56, carried by the latch 48, seated at the bottom of a slotformedin another plunger 58 whichis mounted to slide in the holder 31 forwardly and rearwardly thereof. The plunger'58" is biased rearwardly by a spring 60 so as normally to hold the latch in its operative position; but on pulling the plunger forwardly, the latch 48is disengaged from the' gaging member 29'allowing its'removal from the holder 31; if it is desired to install upon the holder another gaging member of different size or style.

In the use of the illustrative device, it will be assumed that a last carrying a shoe (Fig. 2) the heel seat ofwhich is to be tested has been fully assembled uponth'e frame 10,with the positioning plate 16 flatly seated upon the plate 12 and the shoulders 22 between the lugs 28.

The operator. now presses down upon'the knob 36' causing the gaging member to be moved vertically into engagement with the heel seat. of the shoe to be'tested.

and by comparing the gaging edge Siiwith the adjacent peripheral portion of the heel seat the accuracy of its shape or position is visually determined.

It is evident that, if the position of a heel or a heel section is being tested, a similar comparison of' the peripheries of the heel or section'and gaging member 29 will indicate the alinement of the heel or heel section and the shoe, laterally, longitudinally and angularly thereof. Moreover, by observing the extent of contact of the' The member 29' has a U-shaped 4. positioning means cooperating with the last and said positioning indicia fixedly to position said frame and last with respect to each other, and a gaging member shaped in conformity to the said portion of the last for testing the said part of the shoe, said member being mounted upon said frame for movement into a relation with respect to said positioning means corresponding to that between the said portion of the-last and its positioning indicia.

2. In a device for testing a part of a shoe upon a last having positioning surfaces formed upon'the heel part in relation betweentheheel part of the last and the position-- ing surfaces thereon- 3. In a device-for testing-a shoeon a lasthavingpositioning indicia formed upon the opposite sides-of its:

heel part:- in a predetermined orientation with respect .to the heel part, a frame having positioning means-cooperating with the last'and said indicia forfixedly locating the last upon said frame, and a gagingmember having agaging edge shaped in conformity to the periphery of the bottom ofthe. heel part, said gaging member being.

mounted upon said frame in said predetermined orientation with respect tosaid positioning means and formovementinto engagement with the bottom of the heel of the shoe.

4. In a device for testing ashoe upon a last having po= siti-oning. indicia in a predetermined relation thereto, .a

frame"havingpositidning elements cooperating withv said. indicia fixedly to hold 'a last in a predetermined position upon said frame, and a gaging member havingagaging,

edge shaped like the portion of the bottom of the last correspondingto a portion of theshoe to be tested, saidmember being-mounted for movement into engagement with. the shoe bottom with its gaging edge in .a predetermined orientation with respect to said positioning elements andin parallelism with the last bottom whereby the contour and level of the tested part of th shoe is indi:ated.-

5. In a device for testing a shoe upon a. last having a set of opposed positioning surfaces formed upon its heel part symmetrically, with respect to the center line o-f-the heel part, a frame comprising a seat for supportingthe-last by engagement with the top of its heel part, last positioning elements projecting from said seatandc-ooperating withsaid positionin-gsu'rfaces to orient the lastwith respect to said frame, and a gaging memberhaving a gaging. edge shaped like the portion of the last which corresponds to the part of the shoe to be tested, said. member being mounted for movement into engagement with the shoe with itsgagingedge. parallel'to said seat whereby the shapeand level of the tested part of the shoe is indicated. H 61 In a device for testing a shoe upon a last having-v positioning-indicia formed 'upon its heelpart in a predetermin'ed. relation to the last, a framehavinga seat for: supporting the last-byengagement with-the top of-itsheel part, positioning elements on said seat cooperating with said indicia to hold the last in apredeterminedoriem tation with respect to said frame, and'a gaging member having a gaging edge shaped in conformity to the periphery' ofthe'bottornof the heel part ofthe last, said gagingmember being mounted upon said. frame with its gaging'edge'paralle'l'to said seat and'for movement upon. said "frame'in' the said orientation into engagement withthe heel portion of a'shoe on the last whereby t-heperiph eral shape, level and position of the shoe part engaged by said'gaglng imember'is indicated.

7. In a device for testing shoes upon right and left last-s each carrying, a positioning .plate upon. whichvv there is formed'a set of opposed positioning surfaces, the relation part aeenevs of said sets of surfaces to the heel parts being the same in right and left lasts, a frame having positioning ele ments cooperating With the positioning surfaces on said plate fixedly to hold right or left lasts with their heel parts in the same relation to said frame, and a gaging member having a gaging edge parallel and conforming in contour to the portion of the last corresponding to the part of the shoe to be tested, said member being mounted for movement parallel to itself With respect to said frame into engagement with the shoe whereby the contour and level of the part of the shoe engaged by said gaui'n'g member are indicated.

8. In a device for testing a shoe on a last having positioning indicia formed upon its heel part in a predetermined relation to the last, a frame having positioning means cooperating with said indicia for fixedly locating said last upon said frame, a gaging member, a holder upon Which said member is removahly mounted in a predetermined position, an operator controlled latch for holding said member assembled on said holder, said holder being mounted upon said frame for sliding movement into and out of engagement With a shoe on a last mounted upon said frame, and tongue and slot connections between said holder and said frame for preventing rotation of said holder With respect to said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,557 Engel June 8, 1915 1,702,362 Osiek Feb. 19, 1929 1,885,840 Knight Nov. 1, 1932 2,721,344 Clark Oct. 25, 1955 

